COMMERCIAL OBSERVER & REBNY PARTNER TO BRING AWARENESS TO NYC'S MOST PRESSING ECONOMIC ISSUES AT THE 3RD ANNUAL FUTURE OF NEW YORK FORUM

NEW YORK, April 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Commercial Observer, the premier media and information services platform connecting and informing commercial real estate leaders, and the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), New York City's leading real estate trade association, partnered to host the 3rd Annual Future of New York Forum, the real estate industry's definitive state of the union event led by more than 25 of the City's most influential public and private sector leaders.

The forum, which sold out to a room of prominent, c-suite business leaders, was held at Tishman Speyer's Spiral Building in Hudson Yards to underscore the event's theme of supporting the innovative and world-class destinations that New York City is famous for. After opening with keynote remarks from New York City Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development, Maria Torres-Springer, the event delved into several forward-thinking discussions around public-private strategies and proposed solutions for New York City safety, enhancement of New York's Central Business Districts, the housing shortage, office stock and occupancy rates, and attracting high-growth industries and diverse talent.

Observer Media CEO James R. Freiman stated that "Commercial Observer was thrilled to host the event in partnership with REBNY, one of the most respected and influential organizations in the industry, at such a critical time." Freiman added that "we headed into 2023 with a looming recession and have been continuously met with unforeseen market turbulence since. As we heard from the speakers who are industry leaders in real estate, the focus is to continuously be creative in certain and uncertain times as  we charge forward on a clear path that showcases New York's public and private leaders who are behind the scenes leveraging their ingenuity to strengthen the City's reputation as an inimitable hub for global innovation."

"As New York faces significant challenges on the path to full recovery, the real estate industry continues to play a vital role in the City's economic future," said REBNY President James Whelan. "Industry leaders know that creative solutions to the City's challenges will come through public and private sector collaboration on policies to advance our shared goals. It was a pleasure to partner with the Commercial Observer on another successful event that helped to further elevate these important discussions."

THE FUTURE OF NY FORUM SHOWCASED THE "WE LOVE NYC" CAMPAIGN TO MOBILIZE CIVIC ACTION IN SUPPORTING THE CITY'S POST-PANDEMIC RESURGENCE
Just a week prior to the Forum,  the private sector joined forces with city, state, and community and labor leaders to introduce "We Love NYC" – a two-year civic action campaign launched by Mayor Adams, Governor Hochul and the Partnership for NYC. The campaign, aimed at mobilizing New Yorkers to participate in the City's post-pandemic recovery, including park cleanups, shopping local, and beautification projects, has been making headlines since.

Speaking during the opening session of the Future of New York Forum, Kathryn Wylde, CEO of the Partnership for NYC stated that "it's important we don't lose sight of what makes New York the greatest city in the world - New Yorkers." Adding that "this civic-inspired campaign will allow New Yorkers to play an active role in enhancing the iconic traits of New York City that they love most. We're calling for a city-wide movement for civic engagement at a scale that New York has never seen before, and we're looking forward to celebrating the grit and dedication of the 'doers' who are making a real and long-lasting impact."

New Yorkers interested in participating in the campaign can find opportunities at welovenyc.nyc.

THE FUTURE OF NEW YORK FORUM'S SPEAKERS LINEUP INCLUDED SOME OF THE MOST PROMINENT NAMES IN REAL ESTATE & PUBLIC OFFICE
The event delivered on a diverse range of topics that were covered by a who's who lineup of public and private speakers that included:

• Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Economic & Workforce Development, The City of New York
• Sandhya Espitia, COO, The Real Estate Board of New York
• Chris Shehadeh, Senior Managing Director, Regional Director – New York, Tishman Speyer
• Jonathan Mechanic, Chair Real Estate Department, Fried Frank
• Kathryn Wylde: President and CEO, Partnership for New York City
• Scott Rechler: Chairman & CEO, RXR
• Bruce Mosler: Chairman of Global Brokerage, Cushman & Wakefield
• Paul "Tad" O'Connor: Partner and Co-Chair of the Real Estate Litigation Practice, Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP
• James Nelson: Principal, Head of Tri-State Investment Sales, Avison Young
• Andrew Kimball: President and CEO, New York City Economic Development Corporation
• Kurt Stuart: Managing Director, Commercial Term Lending Northeast, JPMorgan Chase
• Zachary Steinberg: Senior Vice President of Policy, REBNY
• EB Kelly: Senior Managing Director: Tishman Speyer
• Max Gross, Editor-in-Chief, Commercial Observer
• David Falk- President New York Tri-State Region, Newmark
• Joseph Brancato, Chairman, Gensler
• Michael Zetlin: Senior Partner, Zetlin & De Chiara LLP
• Susi Yu, Principal & Head of Development, MAG Partners
• David Walsh: Managing Director, Community Development Real Estate East, JPMorgan Chase
• Travis Terry: President, Capalino
• Meyer Mintz: Tax Partner, Citrin Cooperman Advisors LLC / Berdon Advisors LLC
• Melva M. Miller: CEO, Association for a Better New York
• Jason Alderman: Senior Managing Director, City Head of New York, Hines
• Ken Fisher: CO-Managing Partner, Fisher Brothers
• Lenny Beaudoin, Global Head of workplace Strategy, CBRE

Program partners also included Host Sponsor, Tishman Speyer; Presenting Sponsor, JPMorgan Chase; and Breakfast Sponsor, SHVO.

Photo gallery link: https://co.commercialobserver.com/futureofnyc-2023/?utm_source=event&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=even-fony-323&utm_content=press

ABOUT COMMERCIAL OBSERVER
Commercial Observer is the leading commercial real estate media and information services company, delivering high-impact content, events and platforms designed to connect and inform industry participants of key trends and people defining the global real estate landscape. Commercial Observer reaches a national audience of the most active real estate owners/developers, corporate occupiers, brokers, investors, lenders, leasing professionals, tech firms, public officials, contractors, architects, attorneys, and accountants, as well other business owners and key decision-makers impacting the trajectory of the building industry. The company holds its reporting to the highest editorial standards with a strong commitment to fairness and accuracy.  Commercial Observer is a unit of Observer Media, a company which informs and connects leaders in industries undergoing disruption  to help them innovate, grow and make smarter decisions. Fore more information, please visit www.commercialobserver.com 

 ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE BOARD OF NEW YORK
The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) is the City's leading real estate trade association. Founded in 1896, REBNY represents commercial, residential, and institutional property owners, builders, managers, investors, brokers, and salespeople; banks, financial service companies, utilities, attorneys, architects, and contractors; corporations, co-partnerships, and individuals professionally interested in New York City real estate. REBNY conducts research on various civic matters including tax policy, city planning and zoning, rental conditions, land use policy, building codes, and other city, state, and federal legislation. REBNY regularly publishes market data, policy reports, and broker surveys. In addition, REBNY provides for its members: informational, technical, and technological resources; networking and charitable service opportunities; qualifying and continuing education courses; professional education programs, seminars, and designations; career-changing awards; legal advice; and a wide range of additional member benefits. For more information, please visit www.rebny.com.

Contact:
Vivian Louthan 
[email protected]

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SOURCE Commercial Observer